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Becoming a Scientist
Tom Cech

Does success in high school lead to success in science? Not necessarily. Tom Cech, who won the Nobel Prize for his discoveries about the catalytic properties of RNA, says, "It isn't always true that the people who are the brilliant high school students, who get the highest grades on the exam, are the ones who do well as practicing, experimental scientists. [T]here are a lot of skills in doing experimental science that can't be tested on standardized exams." Cech says B students often "are the ones who end up doing the really great work in research."

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Read about Dr. Cech's research.

Watch his talks at HHMI's 1995 Holiday Lectures on Science.
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